Soccer Weekend - With Austin

Lots of soccer this weekend - Mali had 2 games each day. They ended up second in their group, but lost their playoff game 5-0 today to the Hotspurs, who they lost to 5-1 in their last tournament. We brought Austin along today, which made it a lot more social and fun in the crazy rain and sun. Moose helped with that too, though he really wanted to play some soccer with the girls.


The neighbors are back from their after-school trips: Pablo&fam from their SF trip for the Roger Waters concert, and Dave, Gail, & Kelsey returned from their Alaskan cruise. We had an amazing dinner at Paul and Nancy's tonight - a smoked roast with a mushroom-pepper sauce, and an incredible Pinot Noir from their horseback winery trip.

Here's a photo of Mali from last weekend's tournament, during a game.

Sunday Barbecues

Andrew had Kyle over and I snuck in a game of 3-dragon ante with them. Mali had friends Rachel and Dana over, and they washed the car and I took them to the pool for a couple of hours.
Later, Andrew went to a barbecue with Austin, and we threw one at our house for the usual suspects except for Paul, who had already left for California. Andrew was missed, and Matias and Ryan were forced to play Xbox without him. Hannah, Zoë and Mali had fun with Moose, Max, and Tinkerbelle running around the yard, though Tinkerbell got the neighbor dogs all worked up and we had to keep them away from the fence. Andrew came home just as folks were leaving, and we fed him a hot dog and some cake.
Mali poses while washing the car. Click to expand and see the rest of Rachel.

Gengar watches Andrew Text. He had been ducking the camera, texting distracted him long enough for me to capture him.

Dance Class Photos Today

Austin was over after school, and stayed for burgers and Susy's gelatin-free strawberry pie. Afterwards, Mali left for dance class and we played Pictionary - Susy won both games with different partners each time.
The clock was wrong, so I was a few minutes late picking the dancers up. I found them outside, rolling down the grassy hill and laughing their heads off.
I took a quick photo before dance with Mali in her recital outfit - they had class pictures today.

Andrew's 14th Birthday

For Andrew's 14th birthday we had Austin over and went to GoGo Mongolian Grill, Andrew's favorite restaurant. Susy met us there with a fudge brownie cake - so there was more than enough food.

Andrew Swims, and Cranium Cadoo

Pretty quiet here tonight. Mali spent the afternoon at Zoë's after finishing her homework. We had fish and chips for dinner, and then Mali, Susy, and I began a game of Cranium Cadoo. I left in the middle to drive Andrew, Ryan, and Austin to the public pool. Came home and finished our game. Susy won.
Mali has been after us to play it with her for a long time - we didn't realize how long until tonight, because the questions were all a little too easy. We need a version of the game for older kids. I think I'm the only person who missed a question - I couldn't find something with wheels - walking right past the laundry cart to the garage, to look for roller blades or a skateboard. Instead I found the dolly, but lacked the will and time to wrestle it inside. My back has been really stiff since gardening on Sunday.
I'm walking like a 90 year-old man. Tomorrow I drive to Washington - I probably won't be able to get out of the car.

Changing of the Dishwasher

It is a new month, so we've changed our dishwasher. The new one is named Andrew. Mali got paid out a $3 bonus for her quality work over the last half month when it all began. Andrew seems determined to expand on that, and is asking questions and learning what it will take to go the extra dish and up the bonus into the stratosphere, base salary being not much more than dinner and the occasional Starbucks.

Monday night was quiet. Moose and I walked Mali to Rachel's house, so now she can go there on her own. After a scrounged-up dinner, Susy and I walked to the pet store to get Moose a much-needed dog toenail clipper. A good walk, but it quickly cooled down and the wind picked up. The only loud part of the evening for me was the post-walk retrieval of Mali, Zoë, Natalie, and Lilly from their dance class.

Sunday night was not quiet, but it was also fun. Andrew invited Austin over for the afternoon, and they entertained Mali and Moose most of it. She stayed for dinner and then we played a very fun game of Pictionary, boys v girls. Girls won by an inch, as Andrew correctly guessed Alps for Pyrenees just after Mali said, "Time."
("European Mountain Range." "Yes, and...")
Previously, in Dad/Andrew Pictionary:
"Arabian building. Muslim building. Muslim religious building. Muslim church. Muslim church. Muslim church. Muslim church building."
"Yes. The word is: Mosque."

Wednesday night - Austin

I meant to post this earlier (like Wednesday night.) Andrew had Austin over Wednesday, and we picked up subs for dinner. She played the part of Mali, who was at Awanas with Zoë. I've never seen Andrew laugh so hard as he did at dinner. He could barely breath.

Track Practice

Andrew and I went up to the school to run on the new track. We calculated that one lap is 228 meters. We tried something new - finding how far we could run in one minute. Andrew ran about 1 and 2/3 laps - I did about 1 and 1/4. Andrew did a lap in 36 seconds - I took 45. Mali brought Moose. He followed Andrew around on his warm up lap, and then Mali took him home. They'd been waiting at the school for awhile before we even got there, it took us forever to find a working watch with a second hand.

Afterwards, we all went to Home Depot - Mali wanted screening for her playhouse windows, and hinges for a door. She also found some paint from the returned paint section. I think she's planning something fancy for the inside of the playhouse. Susy picked out four different colors for the playroom - I'm not sure what's happening there, but I'm sure I'll be involved later. Andrew sat in the car with Moose and a book. He was along for a ride to Austin's. He had dinner there, and Susy just retrieved him.

Mali's Soccer Saturday

Mali had a practice for two hours first thing in the morning to help out a coaches clinic, then had two hours in the pouring rain for a warm-up and game in the afternoon. At least they won 2-0. Yay!
Andrew and Austin worked on their candyland ecosystem project most of the day.
Susy and I went with the usual suspects to an auction for Matias's school's band. I bought a pair of pretty pretty pink lamps, and Susy bought a couple of nights at a beach house near Lincoln City. We're still sorting out how we're going to use them - the lamps and the beach house.

Pizza with Austin

Andrew's friend Austin came over and stayed for pizza:

Mali's friend Lauren came over this afternoon too. She and Mali gave Moose a bath, yay!
Here's some photos of Moose and Mali having fun tonight after dinner.
Click for full photo
Moose wins!
Msli will now be teaching Moose that he is NOT the boss of any humans.

Salmon at Alana's

Andrew was out and about with Maddie and Austin yesterday afternoon and evening. The rest of us went to Alana's for dinner with all the usual suspects. She cooked a salmon and ravioli, Rocio brought a spinach salad, Nancy brought a Capri salad, and we brought a cherry pie from Costco. Also some wine.
After work, Mali and I went with Alana to Costco and bought a ton of food. We hadn't been in a long time.
Today Mali has her first soccer game - 2:30. Right now, Mali is laying on the floor in my office, and Moose is playing with the doorstop.